Post by MagAero SystemsNew DOS compatible laser printers are getting really hard to find anymore,
so that's why I am hoping to find a way to print to a non-usb parallel port
connected "Win" printer in pure DOS. I agree that win printers and modems
both suck, but it's getting where win printers are all you can buy, ant
least in small to mid sizes.
Mike
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Post by A***@NOT.AT.Arargh.comPost by MagAero SystemsI was thinking about something for a parallel port connected printer, as
those
Post by A***@NOT.AT.Arargh.comPost by MagAero Systemsare still available. With USB you would have to make the USB port functional
under DOS, and also make the printer work too. I would think a parallel port
connected printer would be easier to do.
That would be easier, *IF* you can find a driver to turn the text into
whatever garbage the win printer wants to see. I don't know how much
luck you would have with that.
I have no idea as to what would be needed, as I refuse to have those
dumb win printers or modems around. I would rather pay a little more,
and get a real printer or modem.
<snip>
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You may already know this but I'll illustrate the problem for you. DOS
compatible printers took ASCII information in directly and just printed it
as requested. There were specific escape characters that could be sent to
set certain parameters and it could be put into a graphics mode and the
dots addressed directly. HP Printers that were or are (and I think this is
correct) PCL5 or lower compatible would also work under DOS. Other printer
manufacturers also used PCL emmulation so these may work as well.
Win only printers (aside from the preference for the USB interface) have no
idea what to do with the character information sent to them by DOS
programs. Windows programs use the Windows API to write to the GDI
(Window's graphical device interface). This information looks for all
intents and purposes like a bitmap (a picture if you will) The print driver
then converts this information to whatever the printer understands as to
where and how to place the dots. Every print manufacturer has their own way
of doing this, and most of the time every different printer family within
the manufacturers offering does things completely different. This is why
you need a different driver for different printers, even if they are from
the same manufacturer.
Without a very specific driver (TSR for DOS) to translate the print data
for the specific printer, it just won't work cause they are effectively
speaking different languages. HP still offers printers with PCL 5
emmulators. I would loom to these for a possible solution. I would
recommend that you get some option to return it if it doesn't work for you
though as I'm not 100% sure that PCL5 compatibility will guarantee that it
will work in DOS.
Hope this helps.
--
HK